Hasty Brook is the loveliest place in my world. It's a little piece of heaven in northern Minnesota.

Monday, November 05, 2007

A New Normal

Thank you friends, for the kindness you've shown me over the last two weeks. Your comments, emails, phone calls and prayers were a great comfort. I don't think I can find words to adequately convey my gratitude. Please know that I thank you with all my heart.

The last two weeks have been so difficult. But I'd like to think that the really hard parts are over and I'm trying to find a new normal for my life. After the burial last Thursday we all came home, changed into comfy jeans and sweatshirts and relaxed a bit. The kids got out the video games on the Wii and quickly had us laughing. That felt so good. Art came outside and helped me clean and fill my feeders. They had been empty for so long I wondered if the birds would come back. I needn't have worried- they came back in droves! Chickadees and nuthatches, both white-breasted and red-breasted were swirling around my head as I put the filled feeders back up. At one point I counted seven red-breasted nuthatches zooming around the feeding stations.

"Thank you!" Check out the tail on this gray squirrel! I try to toss some seed or nuts in this old wooden pop crate for the squirrels. It keeps them off the feeders that hang on our old wooden swing set. I put aluminum stove pipes on the 4X4 uprights to act as baffles but they quickly found a way to jump from the huge lilacs to the top beam. As long as they don't destroy my feeders, I'll admit that I enjoy watching them and they are welcome. I wonder why her tail is ringed like that. Even the bunnies are welcome. This one lives under the play house. Rabbit damage was minimal over the summer and we've fenced in the shrubs to keep them from chewing bark over the winter.

I finally unpacked my suit case for Cape May yesterday. Of course I have no regrets about not going but I did feel a little sad about not being able to meet the bloggers. BUT- I have a year to use my plane ticket! And I do plan to use it for the Second Bird Blogger's Conference!

32 comments:

I'm so glad to see you back blogging. Time is a great healer and with time things get easier and the your memories even sweeter. But after 10 years of losing my mom, I still tear up on occasion because you never stop missing them but it does get easier.

That squirrel's tail is funny looking. I've set out my winter suets and bird bells and the like and did get some chickadees. Those are a first for me. I have lots of sparrows (or they could be female finches as I'm not good at telling those little brown birds apart.)

Yay, Linne. So glad you're out there in the yard. The birds, squirrels and bunnies missed you!

It's a hard time for you but it will get better. My Mom has been gone 17 mos. and I have my moments but it's much better. The hardest habit to break is the urge to pick up the phone when something happens.

Glad to hear from you again, Lynne!! We missed you too, but we knew you were where you needed and ought to have been. Susan Gets Native is pushing for an Ohio trip already, as you know--but I vote spring migration in western PA!

Lynne it so good to hear you are back blogging. The pictures are great, we have so many nuthatches this year it is almost unbelievable along with tufted titmice, chcickadees, woodpeckers, finches, cardinals, etc. Ruthie tells me this is going to be a great year to watch birds. Too bad I don't have a camera to take their pics. Prayers and love are still coming your way.Nature Knitter's Mom [betty K]

Good to hear things are settling back to "normal". I remember just being so exhausted after my mom's funeral, it was a relief to hang out at home for a couple days, tending my garden and other stuff.

That is one strange red squirrel-it's a pretty full tail for one too! I have not seen one red squirrel around here lately, which is odd. I just love red breasted nuthatches--is it unusual to see them there? I don't remember seeing them in Robbinsdale.

Of course your birdies and creatures welcomed you back and were happy to see you! ... Almost as much as we are happy to see you and your words dear Lynne. Many warm hugs to you as you find that "new normal."

I'm so glad you responded to my 'Present' post. Sometime in the future you'll be receiving your little 'something'. (hopefully not TOO future, but my friend is giving herself a year to do her gifting ;0) I'll need your name and address - which you can send to mushduckAtyahooDOTcom.

Thank you for signing up. I hope you are doing OK. I know your pain is on-going. It can't help that we're going into the dark and cold season. Sending you a hug, Cathy.

Lynne-This is my first time commenting on your blog. I am sorry for the loss of your mother. I lost my mom 6 months ago after her very short fight with cancer. I am originally from Minnesota, and now that my mom is gone, I don't really have a "home" there anymore. I feel a little unmoored, like an orphan of sorts. I hope you find peace.

Hi Lynn, just stopping in to say may you have a Blessed Thanksgiving, and yes it will be different, but having your family around will help. You are still in my thoughts and prayers and I'm looking forward to the time when you blog again but don't rush it.Nature Knitter's Mom [Betty K]